Thank yous and smiles
by Claude Amelia Song
Summary: How had Ginny Weasley seen Severus Snape in her years at Hogwarts?


**Written for Hogwarts Arithmancy Class Assignment five. Option 2:Write a story featuring 7 years of a character's/couple's life. (This can be about 7 years at Hogwarts; about what happens in 7 years of a relationship, etc… just make sure to write sth for each year.)**

 **Extra prompts used:Object:invisible ink Word: secrecy,Character: Ginny Weasley**

 **For The Ministry of Skills:Write a story for any Hogwarts class.**

 **The Ultimate Patronus Challenge:H.15. Pixie: Write about a non-canon pairing.**

 **Word count:2248**

 **Genre:Friendship**

 **Betaed by Sam. Thank you.**

 _Year one: First Meeting_

The first time Ginny Weasley had ever seen Professor Severus Snape had been on the first of september nineteen ninety-two at the Welcoming Feast. She had just been sorted into Gryffindor House and had looked at the Great Table in hopes of seeing the Headmaster, the one Tom had told her about.

But her eyes had landed on the man sitting right next to him, a man with dark hair and onyx black eyes. She felt a shiver pass through her. Who was that man?

She had found the answer to her question the next morning when entering the potions classroom, she had found the same dark man sitting behind the desk.

"Miss Weasley, how nice of you to join us! Twenty points from Gryffindor for being late, on your first day no less! If this happens again, you will find yourself in detention with me!" he said in a low threatening voice.

She shivered again.

"Yes, sir," she answered, taking her place near Colin.

So this was the Potions Master, Severus Snape, the one her brother had named 'The bat of the dungeons.' He wasn't what she had expected at all. Her brothers had said that they have gotten detention for being late.

At the end of the class, she remained the last student present.

"Yes, Miss Weasley?" he asked without looking up from his papers.

"Thank you, sir. For not giving me a detention." And then she hurried out of the classroom, not expecting a reply.

"Silly girl," he muttered, a small smile gracing his features.

 _Year two: He had done what?_

"Harry! Is Harry alright?"

"Miss Weasley! You are not allowed to enter. You would disturb my patients! You may return tomorrow. Young mister Potter and his friends are alright."

"But…madam Pomfrey!"

"No buts Miss Weasley! Go back to your dorm."

Ginny left feeling desolated. She had seen professor Snape levitating Harry, Ron and Hermione to the castle, and she had figured out that they had been hurt. She needed to know why and if they were alright. She needed to see with her own eyes.

"Miss Weasley."

Ginny jumped, the voice catching her by surprise. She turned around and took three steps back when she saw who it was. The Potions Master in person.

"Why are you not in your dorm? There are ten minutes to curfew." he stated in his usual cold voice. But this time, it held a hint of annoyance and anger.

"I'm coming from the Hospital Wing. I have visited Harry and…"

"I wasn't aware that madam Pomfrey allowed visitors at this hour," he stated, looking at her with suspicion.

Ginny blushed. "She didn't. She sent me back to my dorm."

"Then go. I better not catch you wandering." And with that, he left her standing alone in the corridor.

She started hurrying along, not wanting to meet him again in the corridors. If she did, she was certain there would be consequences such as lost points or even worse, detention.

"Miss Weasley?"

For the second time that evening, Ginny turned around, dreading the idea of facing her Potions Master, but she sighed in relief when she saw that the voice was coming from the Headmaster.

"I'm sorry if I scared you Miss Weasley," he said, seeing her startled expression.

"You didn't. I just met Professor Snape earlier and I thought you were him."

"I see. So what has brought you here at this hour? Perhaps you have already found out about your brother and his friends?" he asked her with a chuckle.

Ginny nodded. "I saw them being brought to the castle by Professor Snape, Sir."

"Oh, yes. He saved them."

"What?"

Snape saved Harry? He hated him!

"Yes, you see Professor Lupin is a werewolf…"

"Werewolf?! But they're dangerous!" she interrupted horrified.

"Yes, but do you think that he would hurt any of you?"

Ginny thought for a second then shook her head. Professor Lupin wasn't dangerous.

"Well, there is a potion that makes the wolf in him sleep so the human is in control even when he is transformed. But tonight, in his haste, he forgot to take it. He went after Harry and his friends and there is more to the story, but it is late and I would be glad to tell you the rest some other time in my office, but let's not dwell on it now."

"But, you didn't tell me how professor Snape saved Harry."

"When Professor Lupin transformed into a werewolf, he put himself in front of Harry, Ron, and Hermione, pushing them back." he answered softly.

"He did what?!"

Ginny couldn't believe it. The Potions Master's act was a very brave thing.

"And the right one, Miss Weasley. I trust you won't reveal anything of what I have told you to anyone."

"No, I won't," she answered, not even registering that he had read her mind.

How could she tell? Who would believe her anyway?

"Well then, goodnight Miss Weasley."

"Goodnight Headmaster."

Ginny couldn't stop thinking of what she had learned and when to go to hear the rest of the story. She was not letting it go. After all, she was certain Ron or Hermione wouldn't tell her. And although she didn't have the courage to even look at him, because she would blush and stutter each time, she was sure that Harry wouldn't tell her either.

So, consumed by these thoughts, she didn't notice when she ran up into her professor.

"Miss Weasley! What have I just told you?" he asked in an angry voice.

"To go my dorm." she managed to whisper, not daring to look at him in the eyes.

"And why are you not there yet?"

"I have met with the Headmaster, Sir."

"Oh, did you, now?" he asked sarcastically.

She nodded.

"Very well. Go. If I catch you one more time you will be serving detention. With me," he said and walked past her.

And suddenly, with a courage she didn't know she had, Ginny blurted out, "Thank you. For saving them. You're a good man."

The only acknowledgment he gave was a short hesitation in his steps, but he did not turn back.

But as he walked towards his chambers, for the first time in years, Severus Snape smiled a big, real smile.

 _Year three: The Yule Ball_

Ginny regretted coming to the Yule Ball. Neville was a sweet boy but a terrible dancer. And Harry hadn't noticed her. But he hadn't noticed his partner as well. All night, his eyes had been glued to Cho Chang. Cedric's girlfriend.

What did Cho have and she didn't? Why couldn't he notice her? Ginny decided to take a walk in the garden seeing as Neville had stopped dancing after apologising to her profusely and telling her to have fun.

Fun? Looking at Harry watching Cho? Not likely.

So some fresh air was exactly what she needed.

"Not enjoying the ball, Miss Weasley?" came the voice of her Potions Professor from her right. Figures that he would be patrolling the gardens.

"Actually, I didn't. I'm going to take a walk than go to sleep," she stated boldly. She knew that he would probably tell her off but frankly, at that hour, she didn't care what he did or didn't do.

His answer shocked her. "I see. Then enjoy your walk, Miss Weasley." And with a nod of his head, he left.

"Thank you," she said and continued her walk. It was out of character for him to behave like that, but somehow, it seemed normal to her.

Severus looked around to see if there were any students and smiled.

 _Year four: The Department of Mysteries_

"Now you will pay, you filthy blood-traitor!" said Mulciber, advancing menacingly towards her.

Ginny didn't know what to do. She had been distracted by Harry's desperate cry and he had disarmed her, pushing her to the ground. She was petrified.

Then he fell over with a thud and she was released from the curse.

"Thank you," she said getting up.

In front of her was a Death Eater with his wand pointed at Mulciber.

"What?" she managed to say, taking a step back.

"Go. And don't die, Miss Weasley," said the Death Eater.

Ginny smiled and turned to leave.

"Thank you," she whispered.

And for the third time in three years, Severus Snape smiled.

 _Year five: Why?_

Ginny couldn't believe how much her life had changed in just a couple of months. She had gone from extreme happiness born from the fact that Harry had finally noticed her to crying softly in the gardens after the same Harry had broken up with her because he was too noble for his own good.

She hadn't cried in front of him; she needed to stay strong for both of them. She understood his reasons, but it didn't hurt any less. She loved him so much and when she finally had him, she had to let him go. He had the mission from Dumbledore and had to do it. Because he was Harry Potter and everyone was counting on him. And because for some reason, he believed it was his duty to stop Voldemort.

He was going to leave her at home, to be safe, but how much could one be safe these days?

Her heart ached for him. And not only him.

She couldn't believe that Dumbledore was dead. Murdered by Snape. She had trusted him. More than the rest. But now, now she hated him more than anybody.

And she couldn't stop herself from asking why. Why did all these things have to happen? Why did he have to leave her? And why did Snape have to kill the Headmaster?

 _Year six: The truth_

Ginny couldn't stop herself from crying. Harry hugged her, not knowing what else to do.

"Ginny, please stop crying. You…" he started to say when she looked up at him.

"You don't understand," she whispered.

"Than make me. How can his death be your fault? If anything, Ron, Hermione, and I are to blame for this. We let him die there. We are the ones that did nothing. I am the one who…" He didn't know what to say.

"He knew Harry. We tried to operate in secrecy, we communicated using invisible ink, and still, he knew. He knew and he didn't say a word to Voldemort. Nothing. Not even enough to save himself from torture. All this is my fault. I should have listened. All of the times in detention when he told me to stop behaving like a stupid Gryffindor, to…" she couldn't speak anymore; tears overwhelming her.

"Ginny," Harry said wiping her eyes gently," stop. You had made his last years at Hogwarts better."

"How?" she managed to whisper, surprised.

"You haven't watched all his memories like I did. You are the only one who had thanked him, Ginny. And the only one who had made him smile, ever since mum died. With just two little words. But you meant them and he knew it. That's why he didn't say a thing and that's why he saved you each time at his expense. He was grateful for your gift."

"But it wasn't a gift. He deserved to be thanked each time."

"I know. But for him, it had been. Each time you said 'thank you' had been a gift. So stop crying. You motivated him to live another year, to fight and not give up. I am the one who is to blame for his death; you are the one who got him through another year, no matter how many messages with invisible ink you sent or how many pranks DA pulled under your command. He made it this long just because of you."

Ginny smiled sadly. Perhaps Harry was right, but still, the guilt wouldn't go away that easily.

And with one last glance at his grave, she whispered, "Thank you professor Snape. For Everything."

 _Year Seven: In Memoriam_

"Why are you so nervous? You can do it. Just speak from your heart," said Harry, hugging her close.

She was going to speak about Professor Snape at the Ball held "In Memoriam" for the all the fallen ones from the battle that had taken place a year ago.

"Are you sure you don't want to be the one that talks about him?" she asked her boyfriend, biting her lip.

"No, you are the right choice. You were closer to him than I could ever be. And still are."

Ginny nodded and walked up to the stage.

"Hello everybody! I am here to talk about Professor Snape, a hero who died fighting for Hogwarts, for us. Most of you here had met him in one way or another, whether it was as a student, colleague, teacher or Potions Master. Some of you have known him longer than I lived. There isn't much to say and yet…" Ginny took a deep breath, "there is. You already know his story. You know why he did what did. I have just one more thing to say about him. That he deserves our appreciation, our respect, and our thanks, but he had never asked for anything in return. I think that I speak for everyone when I say," and repeating the same words she had said a year ago,"Thank you Professor Snape. For Everything."

"Thank you," echoed around the room.

The scowl from the painting near the room's door diminished and slowly, it smiled.


End file.
